Labor of Love
by Annie-chan
Summary: Prequel to Separate Destinies, so read that first. Wenna is going through an extremely difficult pregnancy, and she makes Sephiroth promise to use any means necessary to ensure the child she carries is born alive.


**Author's Notes:** Wow, look at this! I'm starting to write another fic so soon after finishing "Guinea Pigs"! That's almost unheard of in the last year or so. I've been so lazy about writing, and all. But, I was discussing this with a friend the other night, and I talked myself into writing it. Dunno how long it'll take to finish, though, seeing as a lot of stuff is going on in my life currently.

This fanfiction is a _Kingdom Hearts_ fanfic, but it is a supplement to my (really long) _KH_ fic "Separate Destinies". If you don't read that first, you won't know what in the world is going on. You'll recognize Sephiroth and Cloud from _KH_, but that's about it. You wouldn't know what they are, where they are, when it's taking place, or any of the other characters. So, I strongly suggest reading "Separate Destinies", so you don't get confused. I don't want reviews or other feedback telling me I shouldn't put it in the _KH_ section ("Separate Destinies" is the only thing connecting this to _KH_, I admit), or asking what I was thinking when I wrote this. A very detailed and foreign culture, entirely my creation, is very much involved in "Separate Destinies", and this fic here expands on it. It takes place before "Separate Destinies", but like most prequels, you need to know about the original story first.

Some of my friends who have read "Separate Destinies" wanted to know more about Sephiroth before he went crazy. In other words, his life before Wenna was killed. So, I thought this up. It took me a while, because I didn't want a pointless fic where nothing happens. _Something_ dramatic had to be involved. I didn't want to be too over-the-top, either, because I had established in "Separate Destinies" that their life together was, for the most part, peaceful. Thanks to a suggestion from Jule, I was able to put this fic together, so I have her to credit the inspiration to. :)

Sephiroth and Cloud are property of Square-Enix. Everything else in here, though, is my own creation, so please do not use them without asking. I don't normally ask this, but if anyone would like to make a picture of the soulmates, I'd love to hear from you. I can give descriptions of how I imagine them. Anyway, enough pleading…

**Labor of Love  
**By Annie-chan

"Mmnnngh…"

Sephiroth opened his tired eyes in the darkness. He was perpetually tired nowadays, as he had been unable to sleep peacefully for weeks. He had to take his rest in snatches and short naps, and it was wearing down on him. The reason why was lying in the bed next to him.

"Darling?" he whispered softly, taking her hand. "Are you all right?"

She groaned again, putting her other hand on her forehead. "I can't sleep."

Sephiroth sighed, feeling his nerves jangle once more. He felt like they had tried every means possible to make her more comfortable, especially when she wanted to sleep, but nothing seemed to work. Even relaxation and sleep spells seemed to wear off in virtually no time.

Wenna, his lifemate and dearest friend, lay beside him. She, too, was perpetually exhausted, but it was due less to anxiety than it was to being enormously pregnant. Her small body was being taxed to its limit, and it seemed as if her pregnancy would never end.

"I need to get up," she said pushing herself up slowly. He immediately sat up to help her, his heart squeezing as he felt her weakness just by touching her.

"Are you sure?" he asked, worried.

She nodded, putting her feet on the floor and standing. She had to do so slowly, or she would hurt herself. Sephiroth got up as well, putting one arm around her and the other on her shoulder to help her.

"No, it's all right," she said. "You don't have to get up, Love."

He said nothing, but shook his head. He wouldn't let her walk away like this. She needed him beside her. "What do you want to do?" he asked as they got to the double doors leading out of their bedroom.

"I just want to walk a bit," she answered. "I feel so restless."

He sighed again as they made their way through the sitting room that preceded their bedroom from the hallway. She was so weak, yet restless at the same time. He remembered a sickness he had had as a youth where he felt that way. It had been hell to endure.

They slowly walked down the long, dim hallway of his ancestral home, the small lamps lining the walls turned down to their lowest level. Doors lined the hallway, but Wenna made for none of them. She just walked.

The poor girl was miserable. She wasn't just small, she was _tiny_. Unusually undersized, even for her petite family, the top of her head was barely chest-height to her soulmate. She was healthy, but very slender, fine-boned and delicate. Granted, he was a bit larger than the average ylfe man, but that only emphasized the size difference between them. He had to weigh twice as much as she did, if not more. The baby growing inside of her was very much his child, and though it really wasn't much larger than a normal ylfe baby in the month before birth, and wouldn't be a terrible problem for a normal-sized ylfe woman, the tiny Wenna was suffering tremendously. For weeks, her ribs had been hurting constantly, for a huge, pendulous weight was almost literally hanging off of them. Her pelvis, knees, and feet were also painful, not built to support the extra weight. It was as if an enormous parasite were sucking the life out of her.

Wenna suddenly sank down, her knees and ankles giving out. Sephiroth, with a startled cry, caught her. For a split second, the image of her falling to the floor and breaking into pieces flashed through his mind. He didn't want to let her stay on the cold, hard floor, so he kept one arm around her shoulders and slipped the other arm under her knees, lifting her. It almost hurt to pick her up. It wasn't a physical pain, for his conditioned muscles could handle a good deal more than what she weighed, but his heart ached for her, remembering how light she used to be before she was pregnant. Indeed, he had been afraid at first of breaking her, so delicate she seemed. She had proven to him she was tougher than she looked, but this pregnancy was practically killing her. A tiny frame like hers could only handle so much.

They were near what had been Sephiroth's bedroom when he was growing up. Being as careful as he could be, he reached the room and pushed the door open. Ordering the lights up with a thought, he gingerly laid her down on the bed, kneeling as he did so.

"Oh, Sephiroth," she sighed weakly, looking him in the face. "I'm so sorry. I've been such a bother."

"No!" he gasped, dismayed she would think so. "Oh, no, Wenna! Don't apologize!" He took a deep breath, softening his voice. "I'm worried about you. Don't you think for a second that you're being a bother to me. I love you."

She smiled softly. In the better light, he saw how pale she was, how drawn. Her blonde hair, already straight, seemed limper than normal, its healthy sheen sapped by her weakness. Her wing, a beautiful shade of blue, was also drooping, her feathers dull and wilted. His eyes burned, tears threatening.

"Please, my love," she whispered, touching his cheek gently. "Things only happen because they are meant to happen. I wouldn't have you kill yourself over my discomfort."

"But—" he protested.

"Shhh," she purred, laying a finger over his lips. "We're in this together. You're here with me. Help me be brave and endure it."

He nodded slowly, taking hold of her hand and kissing her palm gently. When he withdrew from her hand, he leaned down to her and touched their lips together. The kiss was soft, almost achingly gentle, yet his passion for her, both physical and spiritual, burned beneath. His tears broke loose at that moment, and he cried quietly, pent-up emotions flowing forth from his eyes and dripping down to her face, running down her cheeks like she herself had cried them. She was quiet, stroking his hair and the back of his neck, hoping to calm him. After several minutes, his tears slowed and then stopped.

"You need to sleep, Wenna," he said, brushing away the last of his tears. "You're exhausted."

"Both of us are," she smiled weakly. "Lie beside me, Love. I don't think either of us could make it back to our bed."

"I will carry you," he said, already standing to do so.

"No," she shook her head, taking his arm to stop him. "I am worried about you, too, Sephiroth. Let's sleep here tonight. Tomorrow…tomorrow, I can try to get back to our room."

He nodded slowly after a moment. "All right, Wenna," he conceded. "If it pleases you." He stood and got into bed, careful not to crowd her. Pressing against her tenderly, he put an arm over her, loosely embracing her shoulders. Her hand touched his affectionately.

After a while, they had both drifted away, sleeping shallowly, as deep as their anxiety and mutual discomfort would allow them.

* * *

He only had himself to blame.

Wenna lay on her back in their bed, dozing as well as she was able, while Sephiroth was in the bathroom adjacent to their bedroom, drawing a bath. Water was very good at helping to rest stressed joints and muscles, as the water takes weight upon itself and off of the body. He had been drawing baths like this for Wenna every one or two days for a few weeks now. The warmth and steam also seemed to help her, but it all aided her less and less each time as the baby inside of her grew. Its size and the compounded strain put on her were too much for the warm water to completely soothe away anymore.

She kept telling him not to feel guilty or in any way angry with himself over her condition, but he couldn't help it. He had been the one to sow the seed, to start this new life that was slowly wearing her down. Her weakness and discomfort were a direct result of his actions, and though he had had no control over when her body had been ready to have a baby, he still held himself responsible. He had a pretty sure guess of when the baby had been conceived, and though she had come strongly on to him and had taken the lead that night, he was still angry with himself. Damn it, if he hadn't been so damn big compared to her…

He would never say that out loud. She loved him as deeply as he loved her, but she would scold him outright if she thought he was being ridiculous about something. Blaming himself for his size, which he had no control over at all, would probably seem to her pretty ridiculous, and he didn't want to put that on her. She had enough things to worry about instead of her unreasonable soulmate.

Finished drawing the bath, he stood from his crouch and shed his clothing. It was the most opportune time to do so, for he hadn't her in his arms yet. Walking back into the bedroom, he gently lifted her from the bed and held her to him, cradling her to his chest. Her eyes fluttered and soon opened a little. She smiled and whispered his name, touching her fingers to his cheek. He managed a weak smile back, and carried her into the bathroom, walking softly so as not to jar her.

"Think you can stand up for just a moment?" he asked quietly, his lips at her ear. Though she nodded, he set her down only after hesitating a moment. He was afraid her thin ankles would snap one of these days, strained beyond their limit. She seemed a bit unsteady, but didn't complain when he let her go for a second. She was wearing a simple, ankle-length, white nightgown, a garment which many ylfen of both sexes chose to sleep in. It was light and comfortable, yet warm. The one she was wearing now had been modified to accommodate her pregnant body, of course. He undid the buttons that ran from her neck halfway down her back, and undressed her. Gently picking her up once more, he stepped into the bath, lowering them both down into it.

She sighed deeply as she was immersed. No doubt the warm water felt good on her skin, and he felt a smile stretch his lips as he watched a look of relief settle over her face. It was not complete relief—far from it—but it did offer her some comfort in her dilemma.

"Mmm…" she purred, sighing. "Feels good…"

"I'm so glad to hear that, Love," Sephiroth whispered back, though his heart was crying out for a way to completely take her pain away. He let them just soak for several minutes, her head resting on his shoulder as she breathed in the slow-rising steam. The heat made some color return to her skin, so she was not so deathly-looking.

After a while, he reached for the soap and a soft, sponge-like pad he had set beforehand on the edge of the tub. The pad was made of thick and dense material, but it was also springy and pliable. It had a very pleasing feel to it, and was a common object to see in ylfe baths. He squeezed and worked the sponge in his fingers until it lathered, and then began to gently wash her.

"Mmm…" she sighed again. She so loved the feel of his hands, his tender caress relaxing her, chasing some of her discomfort away. Her head rested on his shoulder, and she listened to his breathing, concentrating on that, trying to distract herself from the persistent ache that had taken up residence within her.

"Are you still awake, Darling?" he asked a while later, finished bathing her body and now working soap into her hair gently. She herself had taught him how relaxing a scalp massage could be, and his skilled fingers threaded through her hair.

"Mmhm," she answered, nodding slightly. "You didn't have to do this, Sephiroth."

"Yes, I did," he nodded, his eyebrows drawing together. "I'll do everything I need to help you, Wenna. I love you. Even if it meant sacrificing my own freedom and becoming a slave to your needs, I would do it. I'll do anything for you. All this is really a pittance."

She smiled, even giggling a little. He was almost absurdly attached to her.

Warmth ran down her neck and shoulders as he rinsed her hair. "I feel a little better now," she said.

"Good," Sephiroth sighed, and he finished with her hair. He held her to him once more and stood, lifting her from the bath.

"You didn't wash yourself," she noted.

"I woke up before you did this morning," he explained. "I took care of it then. Don't worry about me."

She nodded, holding onto him as he set her on her feet again. Grabbing two large towels, he dried them both off. Dressing himself and her in clean sleepwear, he obeyed her silent command and let her walk back to the bed. He was right beside her, however, his arm around her shoulders. On his way out of the bathroom, he grabbed her hairbrush, and when they got to the bed, he made her sit upright, her back to him. He knew it may hurt in spots, but he began brushing her hair as gently as he could, working out the snarls caused by the washing.

"I'm sorry," he apologized when she winced in pain. Taking a hold of that piece of hair between the snarl and her scalp, he began working at it, coaxing it loose. He moved on when he succeeded.

Her hair was, like his, very straight. It didn't snarl up very much compared to curly or wavy hair, but it still took him a few minutes to make sure all tangles were combed out. He didn't want to leave anything, so he spent several minutes just passing the brush through her hair. The soft pull of the brush on her hair made her scalp tingle a bit, so she didn't object.

Finally, he set the brush down beside them. He pulled her back to lean against him, letting her head rest against his chest. Gently setting his chin upon her head, he rocked her slowly back and forth, wishing her discomfort would just go away. She seemed more relaxed, but he knew that her suffering had not gone down significantly. The only thing that would end all this would be for the baby to be born.

He felt a wave of dread wash through him at the thought of the birth. This baby was so big in comparison to her, that it was very possible her body would not be able to deliver it. Her hips, though decently-proportioned for her size, were narrower than most women's. If they baby's head couldn't fit through the pelvic opening, it was all over for it, and most likely her, too.

_No,_ he pleaded silently. _Oh, please, no…_

Her tiny hand suddenly touched his cheek, startling him. He had been so absorbed in his morbid thoughts that he hadn't noticed her turn a bit and reach up to him. His eyes widened as she spoke, for it seemed as if she had read his very thoughts. Not even soulmates could read each other's thoughts. Only words willing sent out could be perceived by others.

"Sephiroth," she began slowly. There was a long pause.

"Yes?" he prompted hesitantly. Her tone was unusually gloomy.

"When…when this baby is ready to be born," she continued, not meeting his eyes "I am so afraid…that I will not be able to birth it."

"Don't worry about it," he said, squeezing her assuredly, but he was quaking inside. That was the very thing he had been mulling over, and the nearly hopeless tone of her voice seemed to stab that anxiety directly into his heart.

She shook her head. "I am serious, Sephiroth." She finally looked up at him, her blue eyes shining. Were those tears he saw? "Promise me something."

"Anything," he answered. It was true, for he would do anything within his power to please or help her. He regretted that quick response the moment she stated her request, however.

"If the baby really is too big for my body to handle…promise me…promise me you'll use any means necessary to save it."

"What…?" he asked, not sure if he had heard right.

"If only one of us may survive, I don't want it to be me," she explained, her eyes still searing into his. "I have lived a while. The baby has not. I want it to live, no matter what happens to me. I want to give it the chance to live a long, happy life. Please, Sephiroth, promise me."

"But…" he stammered. He knew exactly what she was asking. If they baby was too large for her to give birth to, she wanted him to cut it out of her. An impassible pelvic opening spelled death for both baby and mother. She wanted to give the baby a chance to survive, even if it meant her own life.

"Promise me," she said again.

"I-I…" He couldn't think of what to say. The thought of setting a blade to his beloved's flesh was so foreign that he had trouble even grasping it. "I can't kill you!" he finally blurted, trembling at the very idea.

She was also trembling. Fear of what may happen was in her eyes, but there was also determination. "Then, you will watch me die slowly and in agony," she whispered, those soft words more powerful than anything she could have screamed at him, "and our child will die within me before it even takes its first breath."

He stared at her, eyes wide, shaken by the quiet intensity of her words.

"Promise me you will save our child," she said again, her voice gentle now. "I would rather die by your hand, knowing my son or daughter has a chance at life, than to have us both succumb to a tortuous death just because my body is too small."

"It would destroy me," he said softly.

"I know," she said just as softly. "You will not be far behind me. Just…make sure the child has a good home before you go." Something akin to desperation moved through her eyes. "Please, Sephiroth, promise me!"

Tears pricked his eyes, and his voice quivered as he spoke, but he had no choice but to give in. This was a last request of sorts. He had to grant it, or dishonor both himself and her. "I…I promise."

She said nothing, only touched his cheek again.

"Y-you speak as if it is a sure thing that you will be unable to deliver the child," he said, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Perhaps it will go well," she nodded slightly. "I just…have this feeling."

He only squeezed her, a chill settling in the pit of his stomach.

"I'm so tired," she said after a silence. She leaned back against him, sighing, clearly exhausted. He did not respond, only gently moving her to lie down. She settled on her side, and he spooned against her, holding her from behind.

"I love you," he whispered, his voice still trembling. "I don't ever want to hurt you."

She fought to stay awake, but her severely taxed body was quickly losing consciousness, so starved for sleep and rest as it was. "I'm sorry," was all she managed before she slipped into another fitful, transient nap.

He was also exhausted, but this new thought of slicing through his darling's body kept him wide awake. He clutched her to him, hid his face in her hair, and cried.

* * *

It had begun.

Sephiroth was a nervous wreck. Pain and adrenaline shooting through his body was bad enough, but worry, anxiety, and restlessness were only making it worse. Every few minutes, his insides seemed to twist and contort, and it took all his willpower not to cry out. Through the mental and spiritual bond between soulmates, he could feel the birthing pangs as if they were in his own body. They were excruciatingly sharp, and he couldn't even imagine what Wenna was going through.

Wenna was in labor. Her water had broken around two hours ago, but little progress had been made. She was on her back on the bed, concentrating on breathing, very obviously in pain. Her soulmate, however, was pacing, so restless and anxious he was. Every few minutes, he would go over to her to see how she was doing and if she needed anything. He had had the nervous habits as a child of chewing on his hair and fingernails, and he was hard-pressed not to do either.

Glancing at the clock, he almost swore to see that very little time had gone by since the last time he checked it. It was going so slowly! It felt more like six hours had gone by, not two. The female instincts told Wenna that the baby had not yet entered the birth canal, and Sephiroth dreaded when the _real_ contractions would start. Was it possible to die just from too much pain? Birth was a very hard thing for ylfe females, for it was so rare that it happened. Wenna, as small as she was, seemed to face an impossible task.

Sephiroth was amazed that she could keep so quiet. Every time a contraction came, she tightened her grip on the sheets she was lying on, tensing and sucking her breath in through her teeth, and perhaps let out a low, pained groan. He had never witnessed a birth, but he heard that some women were very vocal during the process, screaming their agony to the heavens.

"Sephiroth…" he heard her whisper, and he was immediately at her side.

"Yes?" he asked shakily, taking her hand. It hurt deeply to see her like this.

She squeezed his hand weakly, just making sure he was there. "Do you…remember what you…promised…?"

"Oh, please, don't speak of that," he pleaded, "not now."

"The baby…soon…" he thought he heard her murmur, but he was not sure. He sat down on the edge of the bed beside her, keeping her hand in his. He wouldn't walk away from her again. She may need him now in a split-second's time.

Time crawled on.

Sephiroth's ears began to throb with the ticking of the clock, every second taking an eternity to pass. Inwardly, he prayed to every deity he had ever heard of, one after the other, to keep his soulmate safe.

Wenna's eyes, which had heretofore been closed or half-open, suddenly flew wide. She squeezed Sephiroth's hand crushingly tight, and a hoarse cry broke from her throat. It was followed by a sharp gasp, which was in turn followed by a groan of pain. Tears glistened in her blue eyes, threatening to spill over.

"It's time…" she managed, though Sephiroth had already concluded that the final stage of labor was beginning. "It's time, Darling…oh, it hurts!" Her voice went up almost a full octave, going shrill from the suddenly increased pain. Each breath exited her body accompanied by a high whimper, getting more trembly as her shaking got worse. One hand clutched at Sephiroth's hand, while the other still twisted in the sheets, her fingernails wearing thin where they dug in, coming near to ripping through.

Sephiroth bore the initial crushing of his hand, admirably staying silent even through that, and now he was surprisingly calm. All he could do was support her, bear his portion of the pain, and try to make her comfortable, interfering as little as possible with the birth. Though it was hard on ylfe females, it was also natural, and mothers were built to survive it. He held her hand in his gently, letting her squeeze it when she needed, and his other hand was stroking her forehead and hair, attempting to soothe her discomfort somewhat. Fathers had instincts for this time like the mothers, and his anxiety seemed to have given way to them. He took a deep breath through his nose and set his teeth.

His calm, however, was soon shattered as Wenna shrieked loud enough to make his ears ring. The bones in his hands popped as she crushed them once again, and a stab of fear lanced through his chest.

"What!" he cried, his nerves coming back. "Wenna!"

"No…!" she moaned, her tears overflowing. "No, please…!"

Panic started to claw its way up Sephiroth's throat. It wasn't true, was it? Feeling desperation following closely behind the panic, he gathered together as much of his awareness as he could in a half-second, and put his hand on her swollen middle, mentally diving down through her insides. Slowly, a picture began forming in his mind of what he "saw" within her. His concentration was nearly shredded by Wenna's continuing screams, but he managed to keep it intact. The mental picture, as it came into focus, showed him what he dreaded most.

They baby's head was just a little too big to pass through the opening in her pelvic bone.

The panic slammed full-force into him, almost knocking him over. His consciousness wavered, but another of Wenna's screams kept him from sinking too far. He felt hysteria starting to overtake him, and his teeth chattered, his entire body seeming to begin a shock-induced shutdown. A nearly irresistible urge to go crazy pounded in his brain and body, but something within him managed to keep hold of his sanity. Something within him screamed, _No! There is another way!_

"S-Sephiroth…" she breathed, her voice thin and reedy. "Y-you…you promised me…"

"Any means necessary," he answered, his voice tightly controlled. A single idea had lodged itself in his mind, and he would be damned if he dismissed it as too farfetched. "I will take any means necessary, Wenna."

"Please…!" she begged, agonized.

He, however, did not reach for his long knife. That was the last thing on his mind. He set his jaw and reached down into his soul, gathering together power. He was practiced in the healing arts, and he fanned his consciousness out through his soul, searching for every bit of it.

"_Sephiroth!_" Wenna cried, almost overwhelmed by the pain.

Without a word, without a warning, Sephiroth released the power he was gathering into her, his awareness diving into her as well. With a stab of regret, he refrained from relieving any of her pain. He needed all his concentration on the single task he had in mind.

"Sephiroth…?" she stammered, surprised by the sudden action he had taken. What was he doing?

He didn't hear her. All his awareness was focused on where the baby was in her body. The tiny being was terribly distressed, pained by the contractions pushing it against the staunch obstacle of a too-small opening. Its head could get no smaller, the gaps in its skull closed entirely. It was completely stuck, and if things kept in the same direction, it would soon die. Another sharp point of regret dug into him, for he could not comfort the unborn infant any more than he could soothe his laboring soulmate. His attention was needed elsewhere.

Healing was, in essence, flesh-shaping. Though treating sickness and poison required a slightly different kind of power, when fixing injuries, the healer literally molds the patient's tissues so they would return to how they were before injury, before bones are broken and flesh cut or torn. Though not molding with their hands, like sculptors and ceramic artists, healers shaped the ailing person's flesh with their minds by speeding the natural healing process, returning it to new. They were just as skilled artists as tree-shapers and rock-shapers, perhaps even more so. The tiny details and intricacies of the body were infinitely more complex than those of rock or wood. Sephiroth, fascinated with the healing arts, started studying them as a young boy. Now, everything he learned may be put to the test.

He focused all his will on his soulmate's pelvic bone, almost melding with it, getting a feel for its exact size and shape, getting so close as to practically count the bone cells. His concentration was most directed toward the inside edge, where they baby's head was. Starting slowly, going one by one at first, he began to rearrange the bone cells, pulling them from the inside edge and pushing them toward the main part of the structure. As he got the feel for it, he went a little faster, knowing that time was limited.

As the opening increased infinitesimally, he began to spread this changing throughout the entire bone, pushing the points of her hips out, moving the sockets that her thighbones fitted into, causing a general widening in the overall structure. He moved as quickly as he could, yet slowly, allowing for her muscles and skin to adjust as he went. Her organs, too, needed watching, for any accidents with them could cause damage.

He was quickly tiring, and could only hold out for a little while. Finally, exhausted, he withdrew from her body, praying that it would be enough.

"Sephiroth…?" Wenna asked softly, seeing the awareness return to his eyes. "What—" She couldn't finish her question, as another contraction suddenly seized hold of her.

"Please," Sephiroth whispered, watching her. "Oh, please, let it be enough…"

A keening wail started in her throat, and quickly turned into a screech. He could tell she was straining, pushing with everything she had. Hesitantly, his strength still sapped, he reached out with his mind, again looking in on the new life struggling to survive within her. Wenna pushed again just as he did so, seeming like she was just on the verge of bursting open, and what Sephiroth saw was like food to a starving man. Movement! There was movement!

His relief hit him so hard, he almost collapsed. He managed to stay upright, however, and a grin stretched across his tired face. Had he done it! He had!

"It's all right, Love," he said to her, his voice quivering as he took her hand again. "It'll be fine. Just a little longer."

Wenna, too, seemed to have felt the movement in her, but was too far gone to respond. Her mind and body was focused on finally completing the birth, and though her tiny hand squeezed his, she hardly seemed to have noticed him speaking to her. He didn't mind. He was too happy to care.

Finally, Wenna catching her breath and pushing hard, the baby's head came into view. Sephiroth, who had moved between her legs with a soft towel, received the new life as it at last emerged. It was a perfectly formed little boy, his eyes shut tight and his arms and legs curled against him. Sephiroth cradled him gently, pinching off the umbilical cord with a pair of Wenna's craft clips and then cutting the cord with his knife.

"Come on," he whispered softly, rubbing the little body gently but firmly, stimulating it. After about half a minute, the baby took its first breath, and expelled it with a tiny wail.

"Let me see him," Wenna, who had managed to hold onto consciousness, asked. Sephiroth moved up beside her, placing the towel-wrapped baby in her arms. The mewling creature seemed to sense its mother, and increased its complaining. She laughed softly, allowing it to find her breast and begin to suckle.

"How…?" she asked, looking up at her lifemate as the baby took its first sustenance. "How did you…what did you do?"

Sephiroth, who had his arms around her, squeezed gently. "I widened your hips a bit, that's all."

"You what?" she blinked, genuinely surprised.

"You were so narrow," he went on. "You're tiny all around, but the birth probably would have gone fine if you're hips weren't so slender. So, I fixed that."

"Oh, Sephiroth…" He wasn't sure how to interpret her tone. Was she laughing or crying?

"Any means necessary, my dear," he told her. "You made me promise yourself. Any means necessary."

She nodded slowly. "I did." Then, she yawned.

"You're tired," Sephiroth said, propping up some pillows behind her and gently leaning her back. As he made to stand, however, she took his arm, stopping him.

"So are you," she said, tugging him weakly back. "Don't press yourself."

"I have to clean up," he explained. "This bed is a mess."

She shook her head. "Call Sayda. She said she could help out after the baby was born, if we needed her. I'm sure she'll come."

"Are you sure?" he asked. "Well," he said when she nodded, "all right."

* * *

There was a knock at the door, rousing Sephiroth from his doze. He was lying beside Wenna, who was sleeping with the baby nestled in her arms. The knock wasn't particularly loud, but it was enough to make him open his eyes. Standing carefully, as to not disturb her, he went to the door and opened it.

"Hey," the young man on the other side grinned. "This a bad time?"

"No, not at all," Sephiroth smiled softly. He was still rather tired, and he was sure it showed on his face. He wasn't tired enough to turn away visitors, though. "Come on in, Cloud."

Cloud was a distant cousin of Sephiroth's, and was similar in some respects to his older kinsman and different in others. He was alike in that he could wield a sword with astounding ease and had a warrior's soul burning just below his skin, which felt undeniably alive during the furor of physical combat. He was different by being rash, unruly, and quick to emotion. Sephiroth, on the other hand, was shrewd, poised, and kept back. He only allowed his emotions to show themselves unmasked when he and Wenna were alone together. It was due to rocky romantic encounters in his youth, Wenna believed, and she let him have his privacy on the matter. Cloud, a youth himself, had not yet learned the composure Sephiroth exercised seemingly naturally.

"I see she's sleeping," Cloud observed as he entered. "Is she okay?"

"She's all right," Sephiroth nodded. "Very tired, but she'll recover."

"Must've been hard for her, huh?" Cloud asked, looking back at Sephiroth. "Hard for both of you. She's so little, after all."

Sephiroth nodded again. "Yes…too little."

"Hm?" The younger man asked. "What do you mean?"

"She was too small to deliver the baby."

"But…the baby's born, and they're both still alive."

"I took care of that. I widened her pelvic bone enough to let the baby pass through."

Cloud just stared at Sephiroth. Surprise, and maybe shock, ran through his strikingly blue eyes.

"I don't even know how I thought of it," Sephiroth continued. "Desperation inspires innovation, I guess."

"But…how?" Cloud asked, still searching for words.

"I gathered together all the healing power I had available to me, and concentrated it all on the one specific task I wanted done," Sephiroth explained. "There was no injury to the bone, but I used the magic to rearrange the bone cells. They flowed, for lack of a better word, from the inner edge and out to the outside, to the hip parts of the bone. The opening that the birth canal passes through got bigger, and because the displaced cells had to go somewhere, they pushed back those that were 'behind' them, therefore making the entire structure wider."

"I see," Cloud said slowly. "Healing magic is flesh-shaping, of course, but I always thought it just restored damaged tissue to its undamaged state. I didn't know it could mold healthy tissue like rock-shapers and tree-shapers mold stone and plants."

"I didn't, either," Sephiroth shrugged. "I was at my wits' end and frantic to save her. I acted without thinking."

"Was it difficult?"

"Incredibly difficult. I had to do it very slow, and it tired me out. I'm surprised I wasn't unconscious by the time I was done."

"Hm." Cloud gingerly sat down on Wenna's side of the mattress, looking down at her and the new life in her arms. "Is it a boy or a girl?"

"A boy."

"What have you named him?"

"Darius."

"Heh heh…you've named him 'Miracle', hm?"

Sephiroth nodded. "It's the perfect name for him."

"Yeah," Cloud said, touching the wispy hair on Darius' head. "Y'know…I've never seen a baby so close before." Children were so rare among the long-lived ylfen. Cloud, very young and with no siblings, hadn't had the chance to see a newborn at such closeness before now. In fact, it wasn't uncommon for an ylfe to see only their own children as babies. Offspring were so rare, and they grew up so fast.

"Would you like to hold him?" Sephiroth asked.

"Oh, can I?"

"Of course. Just be careful." He touched Wenna's shoulder to see if she was awake, and when she didn't respond, he gently took hold of the baby boy and extracted him from her arms as carefully as he could, not wanting to disturb her. Darius stirred and complained a bit, but didn't start crying. "Support his head and body," Sephiroth explained, "and keep him close to you. He likes warmth. Don't make any sudden moves, either, or you might jolt him."

Cloud nodded as he took the baby. "He's so small," he whispered. As small as Darius was, however, his petite mother had been hard-put to carry him for the year ylfe mothers are pregnant. "I'm glad he's all right. Wenna, too."

"I am, too," Sephiroth agreed.

"Of course you are," Cloud grinned. "They're your mate and son, after all."

"I guess you got me there," Sephiroth shrugged, but he was smiling, too. The young man sitting across from him still had the enthusiasm of childhood lingering in him, and often spoke in a humorous manner.

Cloud gently traced Darius' delicate features, watching as the baby reacted to each soft touch. "It's hard to believe I was this small once," he murmured.

"Well, you were," Sephiroth said. "I remember you as a child."

They talked for a long while, their topic meandering from this to that, going from lighthearted conversation to almost bickering, debating a subject the two of them differed in opinion on.

"Mmm…"

The two of them stopped and looked down at the woman lying between them. She was awake.

"What are you two arguing about?" she asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes.

"Oh, nothing, Wenna," Sephiroth told her, smoothing her hair back from her eyes. "Did we wake you? I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," she answered. "I don't mind." She reached out and touched her son, who was now dozing in Cloud's arms. The young warrior took the hint and let her take Darius back. He smiled at how protectively she held the baby, handling him like delicate glass. Indeed, he was very fragile, and his mother valued him more than her own life. Such concern from her was instinctual.

"Well," Cloud said after handing Darius back, "I should probably get going. I've been here for a few hours already."

"You're welcome to stay," Wenna said. "We don't mind when you leave."

"Thanks," Cloud smiled, "but no thanks. I promised to meet some friends near the city gates. They're probably wondering where I am by now."

"Of course," Wenna giggled. "Go on, then. Don't let us keep you."

"All right," Cloud nodded, waving as he went toward the door. "I'll see you guys later."

Sephiroth put his arms around his mate, gently hugging her to him as the door closed behind his young cousin. "I love you," he whispered softly into her ear. He smiled as her small hand reached up to stroke his cheek.

"I know," she purred. "I love you, too."

**End**

**Author's Notes:** Took me a while to decide on the ending scene, but I've finally finished. I originally decided to leave Cloud out, but I brought him in after all. I hope you all liked this fic, and I'd love to hear what you guys think of it in a review or an email. Like I said before, if anyone would like to make a picture of Sephiroth and Wenna, I'd like to hear from you. I can't draw worth squat, so someone else would have to do the picture, if one were to exist. Anyway, if you are interested, let me know, and I'll give you a description of how I imagine them.

In my last fic, "Guinea Pigs" for FFVII, I said I had started an online journal, and I gave the URL for the journal site. Some of the fanfic sites I post on, though, won't show links from files you upload, so it looked like I had forgotten to type the URL in (grrrrr…). Anyway, it's at GreatestJournal, and if you can't figure out the URL (it's awfully simple), just Google it. My screenname is anniechan, and though I don't update every day, I try to stay semi-frequent. Things have been really busy for me lately, so my journal entries have been sparse as of late. Hopefully, I'll get back to my normal routine soon.


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